Gentian

Description

A genus of hardy plants, Gentians belong to the order Gentianaceae. They have a bitter taste, and one species, G. lutea, is largely used as a bitter tonic in medicine. Gentians are not easy plants to establish in a garden, on account of their need of root moisture and their dislike of root disturbance. It is best to raise them from seed, although slow to germinate. The most commonly cultivated Gentian is the Alpine G. acaulis, with large, deep-blue flowers on a dwarfed plant.